This is a class photograph taken at St Johns School in 1952.
Photograph and details courtesy of Pat Pattison.
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
This is a class photograph taken at St Johns School in 1952.
Photograph and details courtesy of Pat Pattison.
Picture Stockton Archive 
I attended this school from 1969 to 1972. The main thing I remember was the favouritism shown to certain pupils…
LikeLike
My post re St Johns School Anon – I lived in Dundee Ave, my Uncle originally lived in Dundas St.
When he was teaching at St Johns he lived just past Grangefield Grammar School.
LikeLike
I did remember your first name Frank, but not the surname. Anon mentions Christine Caygill and Valerie Henderson. Valerie and Christine were two of my best friends from school. Valerie went to Grangefield and I believe she went into teaching, but now lives away from the area. I still see her mother Ethel from time to time as she lives near me. Christine went on to Richard Hind, the same as me, but I have not seen her since we left school.
LikeLike
hello I was Christine Cooper ,now Clay and I am sure I know you from Richard Hind ,do you Sandra King and Barbara Charlton
LikeLike
Alan Rowbotham mentions his Uncle Stan lived in Dundee Avenue, so did two of the girls in this photo, Christine Caygill and Valerie Henderson. Valerie then went to Grangefield Grammer School.
LikeLike
Does anybody remember Frank Craven from Saint Johns 1952 class – top row, 11th child along?
LikeLike
Can anyone say if those attending the reunion will get access to the ‘old’ St’ John’s which is I believe, now a community centre? (as well as the old Ragworth School)
Thanks
LikeLike
We will be celebrating 70th birthday of St John’s on Thursday 28th April. We will be showing lots of photos and hope that some of you would like to come and meet the current pupils.
Mrs Pattinson sorry for the late notice but I lost your email address and wasn’t sure how to get in touch. I hope you can come along on Thursday morning
LikeLike
Thank you, Alan, for that news about Stan Rowbotham. I am so happy to know that he is enjoying a happy retirement, as, I think, will be others from our class, who read this site. Please give him my fondest love, when next you contact him.
LikeLike
The top class teacher mentioned by Margaret Boyd was my Uncle, Stanley Rowbotham. He previously had attended and taught at Newtown School. He left to become Headmaster at a school in Kirton, nr Boston Lincs. He then moved to Norwich teaching where he now lives in retirement aged 90. I will pass on the information posted. I went to Ragworth Primary at the same time he was at St Johns and lived close by in Dundee Ave.
LikeLike
Mrs Atkinson was a wonderful teacher and had me up on stage singing in the school pantomime when I was only five. I’ve been singing ever since. God bless.
LikeLike
Just a little addition to the comments about St John’s school staff. Mrs Atkinson was my Mum. She died in 1988 unfortunately. Next door in the Infants annexe was Miss Pat Felgate. Later, she married Flt. Lieutenant John Stevens. My parents went to the wedding. Mrs Ward did take J1 and Mrs Evans J2. When she retired, Mrs Evans went back to Wales with her husband, who was Welsh. That’s my brother David in the back row of the picture
LikeLike
Hi Margaret
Do you by any chance have a sister called Barbara?
LikeLike
Mrs Atkinson, mentioned above, was my mother. She died in 1988. My two brothers, John and David, and I all attended St. John’s between 1947 and 1957. Mrs Evans did teach J2 with Mrs Ward in J1. In my time there was a lovely teacher called Mr Penfold, who was good at Art and started me off on a lifelong interest. Our teacher in ‘Top Class’ was Mr Rowbotham whom I thought inspiring.
LikeLike
I hate to disagree with a fellow classmate, but surely Miss Ward taught J1, Mrs Evans J2, Mr Wiseman J3 and Mr Wilkinson J4? I too remember the red sports car and being told that it was being driven by her fiance. I still recall the amazement that anyone as old as a teacher could be thinking of getting married, never mind riding in a sports car. Since she was probably fresh from college that seems fairly ludicrous now!
LikeLike
I was at St. John”s from 1958-1964 and I am still in touch with several old school pals despite having moved away from Teesside nearly 40 years ago! I remember the headmaster changed soon after I arrived, to a Mr Beckwith, his son was in the school too. Teachers were: Infant 1 – Mrs Atkinson Infant 2 – Mrs Felgate Infant 3 – Mrs Ransom (daughter Eleanor in my class) Junior 1 – Mr Wiseman Junior 2 – Mrs Evans Junior 3 – Mrs Ward Junior 4 – Mr Wilkinson Caretaker – Mr Parkin Mrs Evans did indeed trade up to a car I seem to remember her coming to school in a Green Morris 1000. As for the very attractive Mrs Felgate mentioned in an earlier post – I seem to remember her being dropped off at the school in a red 2 seater sports car. A wonderful, happy school that we were all very sad to leave for senior school.
LikeLike
I would just like to correct Phil Rambert, I did not attend St Johns, I went to Oxbridge Infants and juniors and then Stockton grammar, I do remember some of the teachers though as my Dad had meetings at home occasionally!
LikeLike
THIS SCHOOL DID NOT AGREE WITH THE CATCHMENT AREA RULING, IT WAS FIRST IN GOT A PLACE. IF YOU DIDNT BOTHER SHOWING UP FOR THE PRE SCHOOL MEETING IT WAS GIVEN TO ANOTHER CHILD.
LikeLike
Sorry Glenn, she remembers you but has no photos.
LikeLike
We had all the credentials for him going to this school. My son received a marvellous education, so I know that he didn”t miss out in the long run.
LikeLike
I was in the same class at St Johns as Pat Pattisons sister, Margaret. If Margaret has a class photo of our year I would love to see it posted on this site, Pat.
LikeLike
Glen if you ever found a class photo would love to see it as I should also be on it as I was Margaret Beards friend. I live in Perth West Australia. And have no photos sadly. My name was Jeanette Geurds. St Johns 1956-63
LikeLike
Miss Rita Cook (teacher) became Head teacher at Harrowgate infants in 1964, she passed away in 2008.
LikeLike
I attended this school from 1954 to 1958 when I lived just across the field in Darlington Back Lane and a great school it was. I believe that you had to be Church of England to attend, your son missed out on a great experience Bob, I have never forgotten it, or the staff.
LikeLike
The school, as far as I am aware, did not have a catchment area as such – I lived at Roseworth and got in on a church place, as it was a church school. My family attended St Michaels and All Angels at Norton until St Chad”s at Roseworth was built. Others of my age on the photo (I attended in the 50s) were from Norton, Roseworth, Ragworth and Blue Hall, there was a school bus to Norton I remember – the rest of us used to walk unaccompanied, crossing Darlington Lane, where the Ring Road is now, no “school run” parents then! Mr Price was the Head, a Welshman with a beautiful singing voice, he used to tell us his cousin was Glynis Johns, who was a well known actress then. Mr Fordy took us in the year before the 11 plus, he used to terrify me with his mental arithmetic tests. Mr Ogden, who was good at Art, Mrs Evans, with two plaits wound round on the top of her head, she used to cycle from Newlands Avenue in Norton on a sit up and beg bike with a basket on the front, along Norton Avenue and under Fussick Bridge, then I believe she progressed to a small car. She taught the girls needlework. Mrs Ward, Mrs Wright – she slapped my legs once or twice for talking! Miss Rita Cook, on the photo, used to run the Brownies which I attended, Mrs Atkinson and the glamourous Miss Felgate who taught the Infants.
LikeLike
Can anyone tell me what the catchment area was for this school? The reason I ask is that I lived some 300 yards from the school. When my son was to start school he was refused because we were not in the catchment area. I knew of people from Trent Street area of Norton, Darlington Lane where I lived attending this school. I have read on this site of people attending from other areas including Norton. In some ways he was better off when he had to go to Ragworth Primary because the number in his class were 22 as opposed to 40 odd at the St Johns. We did move on in the next year and he was transferred to the Norton High Street school where he did very well.
LikeLike
Mrs Atkinson was my teacher in Class Infant 1 at St John”s, a lovely woman and a fantastic teacher. I seem to remember she had a niece called Christine Damm in my class too.
LikeLike
Was the Christine Damm the daughter of the German P.O.W. that was a blacksmith at Norton duck pond & later had Flanges which was next to Hills, but later moved to Portrack.
LikeLike
Yes, David Atkinson”s Mother was a teacher there.
LikeLike
Back row L: to R – David Atkinson (his mother was a teacher at St John”s) ?, ?, ?, Robert, David Jackson, Ronnie Summerhill, David Shaw (twin), David Brown, Jeffrey Harland, Frank, ?, Kenneth Vance, Miss Rita Cook.Middle row L to R -Martin Shaw, Philip Trotter, Malcolm Turnbull, Jimmy Cooper, Pat Beard, Suzanne Allsion, Joan Rodham, Pauline, ?, Stanley, John Shaw (twin), Lesley, Stephen Plowman.Front Row L to R – Christine Collitt, Linda Bullock, Ann, Pamela Kay (twin), Ann Ramsden, Christine Caygill, Valerie Henderson, Pauline Booth, Ann Kemp, Pat Kay (twin) Barbara Bingham, Janet Johnson.Seated at front – ?, ?, Jeffrey. There were 41 children in this class, think this was quite normal then, must be all us Baby Boomers!
LikeLike